CVE-2019-7904 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient enforcement of user access controls in Magento 2.1 prior to 2.1.18, Magento 2.2 prior to 2.2.9, Magento 2.3 prior to 2.3.2 could enable a low-privileged user to make unauthorized environment configuration changes.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical access control weakness in the Magento e-commerce platform that allows low-privileged users to escalate their privileges and modify critical system configurations. The flaw exists in Magento versions prior to the specified patches, specifically affecting the 2.1.x series before 2.1.18, 2.2.x series before 2.2.9, and 2.3.x series before 2.3.2. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user permissions during environment configuration modifications, creating a path for unauthorized access that violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and principle of least privilege enforcement. This issue directly maps to CWE-284 which describes improper access control mechanisms, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of proper authentication checks when processing configuration changes within the Magento framework. Low-privileged users can manipulate system settings that should only be accessible to administrators or users with elevated privileges. This typically occurs through manipulation of configuration parameters that control system behavior, user permissions, or environmental settings that affect the entire platform's operation. The flaw allows attackers to potentially modify core system configurations that could enable further exploitation, such as changing security settings, modifying user access controls, or adjusting system-wide parameters that affect platform integrity. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the platform's authorization model where the system does not properly verify that the requesting user has adequate permissions before allowing configuration modifications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides a pathway for attackers to gain unauthorized access to system configuration settings that could lead to complete system compromise. An attacker with minimal privileges could potentially alter critical system parameters that affect user authentication, session management, or security policies. This vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate their privileges, modify user accounts, or create backdoors within the system. The configuration changes could also affect the platform's ability to properly enforce security controls, potentially allowing further unauthorized access to sensitive data or system resources. The impact extends beyond immediate configuration changes as it undermines the entire security model of the platform, making subsequent attacks more likely and potentially more severe.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the security patches provided by Magento for their respective versions, ensuring that all systems are updated to the patched releases. System administrators should conduct thorough security audits to identify any unauthorized configuration changes that may have occurred during the period when the vulnerability was present. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative functions, enforcing multi-factor authentication for all administrative accounts, and monitoring configuration change logs for unauthorized modifications. Security teams should also review and strengthen their access control policies, ensuring that user permissions are properly configured and regularly audited. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates the critical need for proper access control validation in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive commerce data and user information.